Kunitz nets shootout winner for Ducks as Anaheim beats Kings 2-1

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Kunitz nets shootout winner for Ducks as Anaheim beats Kings 2-1

LOS ANGELES - Chris Kunitz scored the deciding goal in the shootout to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 2-1 pre-season victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.

Kunitz, the Ducks' second shooter, moved around a poke check by goalie Jason LaBarbera for the shootout's only goal. Jonas Hiller stopped all three shooters he faced to secure the win for Anaheim (3-1-1).

LaBarbera had 30 saves for the Kings, who remained unbeaten (3-0-2) in regulation play during the pre-season under new coach Terry Murray.

Matt Moulson beat Hiller from the slot for his third goal of the pre-season, giving Los Angeles a 1-0 lead in the first period. Drew Doughty, an 18-year-old defenceman who the Kings selected with the second overall pick in the 2008 draft, assisted on the goal, his first point of the pre-season.

Anaheim defenceman Kent Huskins tied the game with a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Corey Perry during a power play 10:41 into the second.

Before the game, the Ducks traded veteran defenceman Sean O'Donnell to the Kings for a conditional selection in the 2009 NHL draft.

"He was an important part of our (Stanley) Cup team and a quality person," Ducks general manager Brian Burke said. "But we are in a situation where we have to move some money and we may not be done yet."

Even after moving O'Donnell's US$1.25-million contract, the Ducks remain up against the $56.7 million NHL salary cap.

O'Donnell did not play Tuesday but he hopes to be in the lineup when the team's skate against each other again on Wednesday night in Anaheim.

"I figured something had to happen," O'Donnell said of the trade. "Anaheim's got a lot of good young defenceman coming in - something had to give."

Defenceman Ken Klee made his debut for Anaheim on Tuesday after being acquired in a trade that sent Mathieu Schneider to the Atlanta Thrashers last Friday.